Cloning Blues
by Futuramakid
Summary: What really turned Vlad into the gentler man of TUE's future? It took losing a lot more than simply ghost powers... It took losing a family, of sorts...
1. Chapter 1

Danny Phantom: Cloning Blues

by Futuramakid

Special thanks to my Beta-reader and sounding board Anthiena

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

Amity Park. The not-too-distant future.

Vlad rushed around the lab. Everything was in order, Phantom hadn't been there yet. Thank goodness. Around the room, there were in tubes, mostly vaguely human forms, the last hope for humanity. Clones. Clones of Danny Phantom. They were the only thing close in powers to the monstrosity that had been unleashed. But, they were unstable. They couldn't live too long, not fighting against him- _It,_ he reminded himself, _that... thing... isn't Daniel, whatever it may be._

He was going to train them, and send them to fight. If he was lucky, they'd be able to defeat Phantom. He hadn't been observing their growths, though they seemed fine... He pulled the switch. Around the room, there were hydraulic hisses as the pods opened... except one. One broke open first. A behemoth emerged from it, just standing there... A failure. From another, a skeletal form. Another, a melting monstrosity. A speck of light. It all continued, deformities, freaks not even resembling anything human until, from the very last pod, there emerged... a rather disoriented little _girl._ Vlad was... stunned, to say the least. He walked down, taking an interest in apparently the only one that had real humanity in it.

"...Dad?" she said.

_Okay, so the subliminal knowledge downloads worked..._

"Yes."

He steeled himself- _I can't let myself get too invested. They are cannon fodder, nothing more._

The girl yawned, and asked a simple question-

"When's breakfast?"  
He chuckled.

"You'll all have breakfast," he said, "in a moment."  
"Good. We're all hungry."

She smiled.

"I'm sure you are. But there's still one family member absent..."

He went to the last cloning pod, from which nothing had emerged. But, something was in it- a perfect duplicate of Danny. It looked perfect. But... it seemed catatonic. It just... stared. Not even the presence of mind to get up like the others. He tapped the boy's shoulder.

"Hello? Son?"  
Nothing.

"Danny, time to get up."  
Nothing at all. Everything was in order, the lights were on, but nobody was home.

Dani walked to it.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked concernedly to her father.

"I... I have no idea," Vlad admitted, "He just... seems mindless. No response to anything."

Dani reached in to the boy.  
"Come on... get up, brother."  
The boy's expression changed very slightly, his eyes seeming to focus as he stood.  
"Get up... brother..." he repeated, rather dully.  
Dani looked rather unsure at him, and Vlad even moreso, but he moved on.

Dani, however stayed.

She concentrated a moment... and then she had a look of utter sympathy and horror.

"...there's nothing. Nobody's there," she said, "he's... empty."  
"...what?" Vlad said as he turned around to face her.

"...His... his mind. It's... cold. Cold and empty. There's... no presence, no... spark."  
..._Incredible. She's got even further powers. She apparently sees into his mind,_ Vlad put together.

"...You... you can see into minds?" Vlad questioned.

"...Not all minds... just my brothers," she said, "but... it's so sad. His mind is... empty of presence. All my brothers, dealing with... their broken bodies... And here is this perfectly healthy body... with a broken mind."  
She hugged the 'perfect' clone, which mimicked her movements.  
"There, there," she said, "we'll take care of you..."

"...care of me..." he echoed dully.  
Vlad put a hand behind his neck uneasily.

_...Could she really be an... no, Vlad. Stop. It's not a she. It is an it. A copy. An echo. Nothing more. It's all they are._

But, his heart was far less certain than his head.


	2. Chapter 2

Danny Phantom: Cloning Blues

by Futuramakid

Special thanks to my Beta-reader and sounding board Anthiena

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing.

One breakfast later...

Vlad had taken her aside, he wanted to talk in private, about her extra ability.

"...Danielle," he said, for that was what he had dubbed her- she found it rather odd that he had named only her, but said nothing for the moment- "you and your brothers all have extraordinary powers. But... this... psionic ability of yours is rather... unprecedented. It is... unique. I'd like to know more about it, if you'd feel comfortable speaking about it."

"Of course, Dad. We're family," she assured, before continuing, "Well... it started... in sleep, before I woke up."  
"In sleep?" he queried.

"I was in the blackness... and then they were there too. I could... feel them," she said, "they were a comfort to me, and I to them..."

"And... what you did earlier... with your brother?" he asked.

"...I talked to him. Physically and mentally," she explained, "but... he wasn't like them. He was... well, empty. He had no consciousness, no concept of self beyond the necessary to live."

"Hmm, interesting," Vlad replied, "...I wonder why..."  
"Couldn't tell you," she admitted, "he's just... different."

"...do you know the extent of your powers?" he asked, "is it possible you could command your other brothers?"  
She recoiled at the thought.

"Absolutely not. Even if I could, I wouldn't. That would be wrong."

"...Indeed, indeed," Vlad said, humoring the girl, "however, as you seem to be the only one able to speak normally... Could you act as, say, a leader of sorts, among your brothers?"

"...Okay..." she said tentatively.

"Very good," he said, smiling at the girl... "I have something to do now. You and your brothers may occupy yourselves as you will..."

She nodded, and led the group out, gesturing them to follow.

Later...

"..."

Valerie was utterly stunned, dumbfounded. She had come on a routine call from Vlad, in his personal lab.

"...Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom were the same person... and I didn't even _notice?_"

"Indeed," Vlad replied.

"And I even liked him..." she said softly, taking the full blow.

"I believe it would be accurate to say that Daniel played you like a harp from hell... where he's now gone in a handbasket."

"...how long have you known?" she asked, looking at him with a tinge of anger in her eyes.

"That, my dear, is unimportant," he said cooly, "what is important, is that he is ravaging our world... and if he is not stopped, things will not be pretty. He is more powerful than you, more powerful than my equipment... But I believe I have something capable of stopping him."

"...But you said..."

"I said he was more powerful than my _equipment_, dear..."

He pressed a few buttons, bringing up a security feed.

"...What... what are they, Mr. Masters?" she asked, looking over the motley six it showed.

"They," he replied, "are my attempts to duplicate Daniel... They are the last hope of defeating Phantom."

Valerie noticed the little girl, blissfully unaware of all this, in the center of the group.

"...Vlad... are these... _children?_"

"...Only chronologically... They are, biologically, as old as Daniel, save the girl, who lacks only two years... They need _training_ if they are to battle Phantom."

"...and you want my help?" she inferred.

"That would help accelerate things, yes," he replied, "I would provide room, board, and such while you do so... "

"...Vlad Masters, you are really... I don't even know where to begin."

"Of course, I understand if your feelings for Daniel lead you to decline... Unfounded as such a rejection would be... These are things, Valerie. Copies, twisted echoes... and _ghosts_ besides."

Valerie bit her lip. Part of her wanted to agree, but part of her couldn't.

"...Ghost or no, Vlad... they're _children_."

"...They will fight, Valerie, whether or not _you_ train them."

Valerie took a deep breath.

"...Fine. We play by your rules. And we'll cover this up for my father how?"

"You're enjoying a special work-education program from Axiom Labs, free of charge..."

"I'll go back and pack my things... And I'll be back tomorrow."

Valerie sighed when she left... It was like a rug had been pulled from under her. No longer were things simple, no longer were people people and ghosts monsters... She had much to ponder that night.


End file.
